Lauzon rocks curlers with big delivery

A story teller has to amuse, to entice, to astonish an audience. In the process, she must also give her listeners something to think about.

Evalyn Parry is a story teller. 

And there was much to entice, amuse and astonish in her splendid, thought provoking show, Spin, performed at the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage on Saturday, November 24. 

Parry is an amazing, versatile performer, with a strong vocal range and an equally strong acting range. On Saturday night she shared her stage with fellow musician Brad Hart, and with an unexpected performer, a vintage 1972 CCM bicycle. 

I say ‘performer’ because the bike was an integral part of the Parry’s show, as its frame and wheels were made to ‘sing’ and to accompany her musically at intervals throughout the production. It was really a revelation to me, and I suspect to many in  the audience, to discover how a bike could be such an innovative force in a musical production.

But then, Evalyn Parry’s entire show revolved around bicycles. It also revolved around the extraordinary computer generated images on a stage screen behind her. 

Parry’s focus was the story of Annie Londonderry, a name clearly unknown to virtually all of us in the audience. 

Yet in 1892, this 23 year old mother of three left her husband and children to become the first woman to ride a bicycle around the world. She had numerous adventures, survived through every type of terrain, shrewdly sported the logos of several Victorian sponsors on her evolving riding costumes, and, in the process, could be said to have started a female ‘revolution.’

“What would you do for a fee?/

What would you do to be free?/

What would you do to prove what a woman can be?” Parry sang.

In Parry’s show, Annie and the bicycle become the metaphors for change. 

“…trying to stay free in a world spinning webs to catch us../

We’d never get anywhere without resistance like a foot on a pedal…”

Evalyn Parry’s show was unique, an exciting blend of music, of original vocals, of acting and of technology. She effortlessly slipped in and out of characters on the stage: the pompous businessmen who saw Annie as a kind of travelling billboard, the preachers thundering that bicycles meant the downfall of womankind, since the bicycle was a “sterility machine.”

Spin is full of music, full of sound, full of visual interest. With humour and insight it celebrates the awakening of the female spirit, still carrying on in women today.

Spin is a musical tour de force for artist and story teller, Evalyn Parry.

I have the feeling that she very firmly agrees with the words of H. G. Wells, which were projected on the screen behind her when the show opened.

“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” 

[…]

Friday, two-term councillor Jim Graham filed nomination papers to seek re-election as South Dundas councillor in this fall’s municipal election.

If re-elected, it would be Graham’s third term as councillor, a position which he is proud to have held for eight years.

“I have spent eight years working on behalf of the residents of South Dundas and a feel I would like to continue to do so as there are many challenges ahead,” said Graham, who is ready to fully commit to four more years.

“I decided to run for councillor instead of one of the other positions because whether you are mayor or deputy mayor or councillor you still have only one vote when it comes to council for decisions,” said Graham. “I feel I can be as effective as a councillor as one of the other positions.”

“There are many challenges ahead,” said Graham, giving the landfill sites approaching capacity as an example. “I feel my experience and past record will serve me well to represent the residents of South Dundas on municipal council,” said Graham. “I have enjoyed representing the residents of this municipality and hope I can continue to earn their respect and confidence to represent South Dundas as a municipal councillor for another four years.”

Graham filing his nomination papers leaves South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds as the only member of the current council who has not yet officially made public his election intentions.

So far, Jim Graham, Archie Mellan and Bill Ewing have filed nominations for the three councillor seats, Jim Locke for the deputy mayor’s seat and Evonne Delegarde for the mayor’s seat.

The nomination period for the October 17 municipal election is open until September 12. The final ballot is not officially set until after that deadline passes.

[…]

Charles Crober and Christopher Rowntree, representing Concerned Citizens of South Dundas, are the applicants appealing the issuance of a building permit that will allow for the construction of a new grain elevator/storage facility at the UTI property owned by Morrisburg Dock Expansion Inc., located at 11610 County Road 2, Morrisburg.

The permit issued January 30, 2015, is for the construction of a new grain elevator/storage facility on the M1 zoned land, with a construction value of $2.8 million.

According to Lesley Rowntree, Concerned Citizens of South Dundas, is supported by over 600 signatories on a 2013 petition.

“We communicate with about 40 people on a direct basis when something actually occurs in the way of new information and to ask for their ideas and opinions,” says Lesley, who with her husband Chris, “have served as a sort of ‘office’ for the group and been spokespersons for them.”

Because the grain terminal issue seems to be a divisive one, Lesley says, “We have tried to respect absolute privacy and confidentiality for those who support us with resources of time, effort and money.” She would not say exactly how ‘many’ people are financially supporting the effort.

Chris and Lesley live less than one kilometre from the proposed grain terminal site, and have been there about 3.5 years. They say many of the people they are representing through the concerned citizens group have lived in the area much longer and most are a much greater distance from UTI. 

“We need to dispel the erroneous idea that this group of people all live close to the proposed grain terminal,” says Lesley.

As a core value of the group, Lesley says, “We are working to try to reaffirm in our community the democratically mandated voice of all citizens to express their own interests and concerns, based on honest and open information.”

“We are being driven to court as the only way to prove that the proposal does not fit the zoning. Once that is established, proper procedure can be initiated whereby proponents make an application which requires zone changes and thus enables the proper process mandated by the Ontario Planning Act to come into operation.”

[…]